12.01.2005 ROMANIA SEEKS TO BECOME A FACTOR OF INFLUENCE IN MOLDOVA

Chisinau, January 12 (Infotag). New Romanian President Traian Basescu has stated over Realitatea TV channel of Bucharest that Romania may well become “a factor of influence in Moldova”.

Last decade, he said, Romania missed historic chances to interfere into two regional conflicts – in Transnistria and former Yugoslavia: “Romania remained out of play in resolving the Transnistrian problem, although a majority of population in Moldova are the Romanians”.

“Romania has direct interests in Moldova inhabited by several million Romanians”, he stressed, and stated that Romania’s participation in resolving the Transnistrian conflict will promote the growing of Romania’s influence in the Black sea region, and will permit to strengthen Bucharest’s stand in the NATO and, subsequently, in the European Union.